[WSBARP] Maritime Attorney

[John J. Sullivan, Esq.]

Sangeeta:

 

Admiralty Law is an interesting area. They call themselves "Proctors in Admiralty" instead of attorneys at law. Their practice is almost entirely in federal courts and arbitration panels. 

 

Unfortunately as far as I am aware the admiralty practice in Seattle is almost entirely personal injury claims under the Jones Act. That may or may not interest your nephew. 

 

My first job out of the service in 1980 was as a paralegal/translator with an admiralty firm in NYC. I worked for a senior partner who represented the Soviet Shipping Companies. It was mostly cargo damage claims, which end up being insurance defense. The clients are "P&I Clubs" based in the Caribbean but mostly originating in London. Then there are the occasional collision cases. Hull damage is covered by Lloyd's of London. I worked on one case of a collision in the Shatt al Arab in the late 1970's involving a Greek vessel and a Soviet Georgian vessel. There is actually a stop light at a narrow passage only one ship can pass. One of them ran the light. They both lied. 😊

 

I also worked with local Seattle counsel on what was then the largest container loss. It was Far East Soviet vessel called the Kapitan Milovzorov. That small local firm is long gone. 

 

There are also corporate type attorneys who work on financing shipbuilding. Vessel mortgages are quite specialized. The firm I worked for also did airline crash defense and financing of both ships and airplanes. They assisted the Chinese to purchase the first 747 from Boeing. 

 

My firm, Haight Gardner Poor & Havens, was acquired along the way by Holland & Knight. Coincidentally, my son the law student is a summer associate at their D.C. office. He's doing international trade regulation (sanctions and dual use technology type work), not admiralty. They do not have a Seattle office, but do have a Portland one. Their original homebase is in Tampa. Unfortunately that was forty years ago and there is only one senior partner in the NYC office I know, and he would probably only dimly remember me. 

 

Anyway, it can be interesting, at least the cargo and hull work. I can't speak for the personal injury side. I never worked for those partners. And unfortunately I never worked on the corporate side. 

 

Good luck to your nephew. 

 

If your nephew is considering college, he might look into the Merchant Marine Academy. Quite a few admiralty attorneys attended it in upstate New York. 

 

https://www.usmma.edu/

 

 

John Sullivan

 

-----Original Message-----
From: wsbarp-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbarp-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> On Behalf Of Sangeeta Saigal
Sent: Friday, July 8, 2022 7:35 PM
To: wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com; wsbarp at lists.wsbarppt.com
Subject: [WSBARP] Maritime Attorney

 

Happy Friday Evening,

 

My 17 year old nephew decided to visit from England for couple of weeks.  He is very interested in Maritime law.

 

Would appreciate if anyone knows a Maritime attorney I could reach out to see if they would be willing to either allow him to shadow for couple of days or even do a meeting.

 

Appreciate any leads and thank you for your recommendations in advance.

 

Have a great weekend.

 

Sangeeta

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone

 

 

 

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